Storming finish gifts a veteran Warrior victory
HORSE RACING: A well-timed ride from Kenji Yoshida lifted a Clifford Park veteran to a fourth career win.
I Am The Warrior ($9) saluted in the Rock Trade Industries Class 4 Handicap (1300m) to reward the consistent gelding after nine successive outs.
The eight-year-old was able to take advantage of a frantic opening pace set by Leah Kilner on drifting favourite Mishani Shiraz ($2.30).
Boiling ($2.45) and Von Richter ($8) kept the leader honest as the trio led by as much as sixth lengths in the early stages of the race.
Once the leaders came back to the pack at the top of the straight, I Am The Warrior was able to rocket home after settling in seventh.
“He has been racing really well this old horse,” Yoshida said.
“I was confident going into the race. The pace was more (quicker) than I expected.
“They went hard so I thought the horse was under pressure for a long time.
“I was worried at about the 800 but after 600m he started to pick up.
“I never panicked in the straight because at the 400m mark my horse really started travelling well. I got the gap through at the 300m mark so I was confident down the straight.”
The win is his fourth from 41 career starts and third at Clifford Park, and Yoshida said his love of the track showed.
“He always races good here especially between 1200 and 1300m,” he said.
“Paul is doing a really good job with the horse, so hopefully he can find another suitable race for him.”
Razz ($5.50) looked to have the Wimmers Premium Soft Drinks Maiden Plate (870m) sewn up approaching the bend before a strong surge from Boss’s Boy ($4) gave the gelding his first win at start number five.
Apprentice Emma Ljung continued her strong start to the season after sitting on the speed from barrier seven, stalking the leader into the straight before peeling off to secure the win.
Short-priced favourite Awesome Katie ($2.30) sat wide on the pace after jumping moderately from the outside gate before dropping out before the bend to finish over nine lengths last.
Ljung brought up a riding double in the fifth race of the program, the Pryde’s EasiFeed Class 2 Handicap (1640m), and finally provided some joy for favourite backers who had been under the pump until that point.
On A High ($2.90) proved the best of the backmarkers, sweeping home after another hot tempo up front to score by a length and quarter from the consistent Bernie’s Tiger ($5.50) with Red Monkey ($13.00) back in third.
Dreamscape ($2.05) made it back-to-back victories for those supporting the favourites after a critical mid-race move from Kilner proved the difference.
Bel Beau ($16) set up a leisurely pace in front before the apprentice decided to let the gelding slide forward to take up the running with three furlongs remaining.
It was a winning decision, as the lightly-raced six-year-old cruised to his third career victory from a fast-finishing Stormy Grey ($5) with secondfavourite Splitz ($2.80) failing to fire in the straight to come in third.